HONEY has many benefits that go beyond its great taste.
It is a great natural source of carbohydrates which provides strength and energy for our bodies.
Honey’s natural sugars play an important role in preventing fatigue during heavy physical activities.
The glucose in honey is absorbed by the body quickly and gives an immediate energy boost, while the fructose is absorbed more slowly providing sustained energy.
Honey has also been found to keep levels of blood sugar fairly constant compared to other types of sugar.
A spoon of honey before working out will enable one to go that extra mile.
When one is feeling low and sluggish, instead of seeking out the now popular energy drinks, honey is the way to go.
Spreading it on hot toast or using it as a substitute for sugar in tea will keep the brain alert for longer hours.
Preparing a honey drink or sandwiches with honey for children who do extra sporting activities ensures they get enough energy to sustain them throughout the day.
And for optimal sleep and recovery cycle at night, giving your child a spoonful of honey before sleep on a daily basis can help the child sleep peacefully.
Among the many health benefits of honey, the most impressive is that it is a powerful immune system booster.
Before breakfast, mixing a spoonful of honey and lemon juice from half a lemon into a cup of warm water makes a great cleansing tonic.
Its anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial properties can help improve the digestive system.
Honey also possesses carcinogen-preventing and anti-tumor properties.
There are now more studies pointing to the potential role of honey in the prevention and progression of tumors and cancer.
For thousands of years, honey has been recognised as one of the most natural home remedies to treat a wide range of ailments and complaints including yeast infection, athlete’s foot and arthritis pain.
Its antiseptic properties inhibit the growth of certain bacteria and helps keep external wounds clean and free from infection.
Honey has been used as a natural cure in first aid treatment for wounds, burns and cuts as it is able to absorb moisture from the air and promote healing.
Its anti-bacterial properties prevent infection and functions as an anti-inflammatory agent, reducing both swelling, pain and even scarring.
Honey is gentle on the stomach and contains a mix of natural sugars such fructose which is known to speed up the oxidation of alcohol by the liver, acting as a ‘sobering’ agent.
One of the better known health benefits of honey is that it helps treat sore throats.
Thanks to its anti-microbial properties, honey not only soothes throats, but also kills certain bacteria that cause infection.
Professional singers commonly use honey to soothe their throats before performances.
A spoonful of honey can soothe the inflammation whenever one has a sore throat or cough.
The famous milk and honey remedy can be of great help if one suffers from lack of sleep at night.
A glass of hot milk with a teaspoon of honey has a calming effect and induces sleep.
Thus honey is not only sweet to the palate, but has many health benefits.